Machine for applying a coating to the interior of small hollow objects



Jan. 23, 1962 R. J. HUNT MACHINE FOR APPLYING A COATING TO THE INTERIOR OF SMALL HOLLOW OBJECTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1958 FIG.

FIG 7 Jan. 23, 1962 Filed Sept. 10, 1958 R. J. HUNT MACHINE FOR APPLYING A COATING TO THE INTERIOR OF SMALL HOLLOW OBJECTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. R086??? J? Ila/V7 INVENTC'R R. J. HUNT MACHINE FOR APPLYING A COATING T0 THE INTERIOR OF SMALL HOLLOW OBJECTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 23, 1962 Filed Sept. 10, 1958 Jan. 23, 1962 R. J. HUNT 3,017,853

MACHINE APPLYING A COATING TO THE INTER OF SMALL HOLLOW OBJECTS Filed Sept. 10, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 i @fj v N i 7 NE/ Jig xv i w M,

[II v\ R? IN NTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 HUNT MACHINE FOR APPLYING A COATING TO THE INTERIOR OF SMALL HOLLOW OBJECTS Jan. 23, 1962 Filed Sept. 10, 1958' United States ,MACHINE FOR APPLYING A CGATING TO THE This invention relates to the general field of applying liquid or semi-liquid coatings to the interior of very small hollow objects.

More specifically this invention involves a new and improved machine for rapidly applying an even coating of adhesive to the interior of small cup like articles such as ammunition components. Also disclosed herein is a novel method for continuously applying such a coating which is composed of two components having a very short pot life when mixed together.

In the manufacture of large quantities of some varieties of modern ammunition, it is necessary that certain very small articles be precisely and adhesively secured in the interior bore of equally small hollow cup like members. This requires the careful application of an accurately measured amount of adhesive to one of the articles so that an even coating results and is followed by assembly of the two articles. Not only is accuracy required to insure proper function of the ammunition involved but high rates of satisfactory adhesive application must be maintained to meet production and economy standards.

'It is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus which will carry out the coating process discussed above in a rapid, efficient and reliable manner, yet be simple and economical in construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel method of continuously applying a coating which consists of two components which when mixed together have a very short pot life, that is, the two liquid components when mixed tend to solidify and become incapable of application as a coating.

Other advantages and objects will appear from a consideration of the following specification, appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the machine of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in FIGURE 1 with certain parts broken away for a clearer disclosure of the component parts.

FIGURE 3 is horizonal transverse sectional view taken at line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 showing the positional relationship of the plate assembly holding the cups and the plate on which the applicator elements are mounted.

- Certain parts of the machine are omitted in this view.

FIGURE 5 a fragmentary sectional elevation substantially on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation substantially on the line 6--6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detailed vertical partial sectional view taken through the cup-holding plate assembly.

In general the machine of my invention comprises a frame, a tank 24 with coating liquid 25, a plate 26 carrying a plurality of coating applicator elements 27, and movable between a position in which the applicators are submerged in the coating liquid and a position in which the applicators are removed from the liquid in the tank to a point spaced therefrom, an apertured carrier plate 73 carrying a plurality of the cup-like elements D, to receive the interior coating, a carrier plate supporting assembly (70, 71, and 72) mounted in the frame for ice movement in a circular path and means (35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44,) for moving the assembly and plate in its circular path. The movement of the applicator plate out of the coating liquid terminates so that each applicator element carrying a given amount of the coating liquid is positioned inside one of the hollow cup-like elements (FIGURE 7). Then actuating the means for moving the assembly and plate in a circular path relative to said applicator elements applies an even coat to the interior portion of the cup-like elements.

Covering the structure of the machine in more detail, the main frame is made up of base elements 1 to which are secured opposed side support brackets 2. Suitably supported and secured in opposed relation on side brackets 2 are the two main side members 6 and 8 which by reason of the inwardly projecting shelf portions 61 and 81 respectively form a horizontal slideway therebetween. Main side members 6 and 8 are connected at their rearward extremities by main rear member 10 which forms the rear or third side of the horizontal slideway. Each main side member 6 and 8 has rigidly secured thereto in vertical position two vertical support rods 11 which are secured at their upper ends to a horizontal plate 13 by threaded fasteners 14.

A reciprocating air piston motor 19 of conventional design with its manual control valve 20 is fixedly mounted on the upper side of plate 13. The reciprocating piston (not shown) of motor 19 is connected to vertical shaft 16 which is secured to a horizontal plate 15 by threaded fasteners 17 and 18. Vertically depending from plate 15 are two pairs of opposed rods 12. Rods 12 are rigidly secured to plate 15 at their upper ends and slidably extend through vertical passageways in main side members 6 and 8 to a point between the side brackets 2 where the rods are rigidly secured to horizontal plate 26 which supports the vertically arranged coating applicator elements 27. As shown in FIGURE 1 the air motor 19 can move the assembly consisting of plates 15 and 26 as connected by vertical rods 12 between an upper position shown in solid lines and a lower position shown in broken lines. In the lower position of its movement plate 26 and coating applicator elements 27 carried thereby are totally immersed in the liquid coating material 25 in tank 24 which is suitably supported in the frame between side support brackets 2.

A transverse member 31 bridges the main side members 6 and their upper side portions intermediate their ends. Rotatably mounted on this member 31 is a horizontal shaft 35 which isjournalled in bracket 33 and bracket 38. At the outer end of shaft 35 is a drawing handle 37 secured to arm 36. A bevel gear 39 is rigidly secured to the other end of shaft 35. Bevel gear 39 meshes with a second bevel gear 40 which is rigidly secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft 41 which is journalled in horizontal member 31 itself. A disc or wheel member 43 is fixedly attached to the lower end of shaft 41 and carries on its lower side an eccentrically positioned roller 44. As best shown in FIGURE 3 roller 44 projects into a horizontally disposed annular flanged circular ring element 45 which is secured to the upper side of a carrier plate supporting assembly which comprises a horizontal flat plate element 72 to the underside of which are secured two sets of opposed elements 70 and 71. Elements 71 extend downwardly from and are fixedly secured to plate 72 at the sides thereof and run parallel from front to rear. Elements 70 are rigidly mounted on the under side of ele ments 71 to form an inwardly directed opposed shelf like arrangement. As will be seen from the drawings the carrier plate supporting assembly consisting of elements 70, 71 and 72 is supported for limited lateral and longitudinal motion on the horizontal motion on the horizontal slideway formed by shelf like portions 61 and 81 on main side members 6 and 8. The carrier plate supporting assembly is resiliently engaged on three sides by sets of spring urged plungers 82 which acts to center the assembly between the side members 6 and 8 and exert a forwardly acting force to hold the annular ring element of the assembly against the roller element 44 which projects into and engages the interior surfaces thereof. The interior surface of ring element 45 is circular in horizontal cross section except for an enlarged or slightly offset portion 90 in which the roller 44 rests when the machine is not operating. It is believed to be clear that when the disc 43 on which the roller 44 is mounted is rotated about its fixed vertical axis, the roller will move out of the offset portion 90 to commence its circular travel by forcing the ring 45 and carrier plate assembly on which the ring is mounted against the spring plungers 82 to move in a horizontal circular path the radius of which is equal to the distance the offset or enlarged portion 90 is radially offset from the interior circular surface of the ring ele-. ment 45. This will provide the relative circular sweeping motion with respect to the vertical applicator pins 27 to apply the coating as will be more fully discussed hereafter. Firmly held in the carrier plate assembly is a composite carrier plate 73. Carrier plate 73 is provided with a plurality of chambers 63 which contain the cuplike elements the interior portions of which are to receive the coating. A partial detailed view of this carrier plate is shown at FIGURE 7. The chambers 63 open downwardly and upwardly to allow for application of the coating and easy knock-out removal of the cuplike elements after coating. A bottom plate 75 is a part of the carrier plate 73 and is provided with a plurality of openings 65 matching the pattern of chambers 63 in element 74. Alignment is maintained by dowel pins 66 extending from bottom plate 75 into frictional engagement with vertical holes in element 74. The composite carrier plate 73 is slidably received in the carrier plate assembly on shelf like element 70 and abutted against rearward stop portions projecting inwardly from carrier plate assembly side elements 71. The composite carrier plate 73 is held in position in the carrier plate assembly by two vertically disposed spring plunger detents 51 which are provided with downwardly urging plungers 52 engaging with depressions in the upper surface of the composite carrier plate.

The carrier plate assembly is provided with two movement limiting steps each of which consists of a vertical pin 47 fixedly secured to rear end element by brackets 46 and extending into circular holes 48 vertically bored in the upper surface of element 72 of the carrier plate assembly. The holes 48 are of larger diameter than vertical pins 47 and in the rest position of the machine are concentric therewith. It will be seen that the interengagement of the pins 47 with the side of the holes 48 acts as a positive limit stop on the circular motion of the carrier assembly.

A stop detent 60 is provided for the arm 36 to insure that the arm is stopped in the proper position after each cycle.

It will be understood that this machine can be adapted to coat interior bores of small articles which are not of circular cross section merely by varying the interior contour of ring element 45 and making the corresponding modification to the limit stop arrangement.

The applicator supporting plate 26 is provided with a number of openings 62 therethrough to permit quick run-off of excess coating liquid on the upward movement of this plate.

The applicator pins 27 are of such a configuration at their upper ends as to hold thereon the proper amount of coating liquid to coat the interior of the cup-like elements D.

In operation, the required number of the cup-like articles D are assembled between elements 74 and 75 of composite carrier plate 73. The carrier plate 73 is then placed in the carrier plate assembly where it is resiliently held between spring plungers 52 and shelf like members 70. The machine is in its rest position with the roller 44- and ring 45 in position as shown in FIGURE 3 and the applicator plate 26 with applicator pins 27 submerged in the coating liquid in tank 24. The marks 94, and 96 are placed on roller 44, ring 45, and plate 72, respectively, so that they will be in line when the machine is in its rest position. With air under pressure supplied to valve 20 the handle 21 is actuated to operate the valve and cause the motor 19 to move plate 26 and the applicator pins upwardly out of the liquid and into the center of the interior portion of the elements D in the carrier plate 73 substantially as shown in FIGURES 4 and 7. With the applicator pins held in this position by the action of air motor 19, the handle 37 and arm 36 are turned through one revolution cycle which causes the carrier plate assembly, carrier plate 73 and elements D to move horizontally in a proper circular path with respect to applicator pins 27 carrying the coating liquid. This causes the coating liquid to be evenly transferred from the applicator pins 27 to the interior of the elements D. The handle 21 of the air motor valve is then released to cause downward movement of the plate 26 and pins 27. The composite carrier plate 73 with its articles D is then removed for such further processing as may be desirable.

Where it has been necessary to utilize an adhesive material which consists of a resinous material which is catalyzed to a gelatinous adhesive by a second material containing the catalyst, two machines have been used. This is due to the very short time in Which the two materials tend to solidify and become unusable after mixing. Therefore it has been the practice to use one machine for applying the resinous material to the articles and a duplicate to apply the catalytic material.

Thus it will be recognized that I have provided an improved coating machine which handles the special and difiicult problem of interior coating very small articles in a rapid and effective manner; the machine being simple and economical of manufacture yet reliable and consistent in operation.

While I have disclosed in detail my preferred embodiment of the invention, other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for simultaneously coating the interior of a plurality of hollow articles comprising in combination a frame, a reservoir in said frame for holding the coating material, a first movable plate mounted in said frame and carrying a plurality of coating applying elements, a motor to move said plate between a first position and a second position, said plate and said coating elements submerged in said coating material in said first position, a second movable plate mounted in said frame, said second plate carrying a plurality of hollow articles, said coating applying elements positioned within said articles when said first plate is moved to said second position, a circular ring element secured to said second plate, a roller eccentrically positioned Within said ring element whereby rotation of said roller causes said second plate to move in a relative circular sweeping motion with respect to said coating elements.

2. A machine for simultaneously coating the interior of a plurality of hollow articles with a coating substance, comprising in combination a fixed frame, a reservoir for the coating substance mounted in said frame, a horizontally disposed vertically reciprocable plate mounted in said frame, a plurality of vertically disposed coating pins mounted on said plate, a reciprocating air piston motor mounted on said frame and operatively connected to said plate to move said plate between a first position in which said plate and said pins are immersed in said coating substance and a second position in which said plate and said pins are positioned therefrom, a moveable carrier member for supporting a plurality of said articles to be coated and positioned adjacent said second position of said plate so that each of said pins carrying a quantity of said coating substance is received centrally in each of said articles, said carrier member positioned on slideways mounted in said frame and having a flanged circular ring connected thereto, an eccentrically mounted roller positioned within said ring and drive means for said roller for rotating said articles in a closed path on said slideways to cause said articles to rotate with respect to said pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent roller and thereby moving said carrier member and said 10 2,865,788

UNITED STATES PATENTS Etem Dec. 9, 1947 Powell et a1 May 31, 1955 Brochhagen et al July 3, 1956 Nischk Dec. 23, 1958 

